Firefighter Ted    by Andrea Beaty & Pascal Lemaitre Order:  USA  Can Margaret K. McElderry, 2009 (2009) Hardcover      Reviewed by Bob Walch You have to love Ted because he tries so hard and is so very sincere. When he smells burned toast one morning, the little brown bear becomes Firefighter Ted and hurries to deal with the situation. Armed with a whipped-cream fire extinguisher and his toy fire truck, Ted swoops into the kitchen and smothers the toast with sweet foam. As he heads out the door to go to school, Ted admonishes his mother, 'Remember, only you can prevent breakfast fires!' His mother is not amused! Along the way to school Ted uses his firefighting skills to rescue two puppies, a kitten and three tricycles. He places them all up in a tree where they will be safe. 'No need to thank me,' says Ted to the astonished crowd that gathers to watch this furry fireman at work. Once he arrives at school Ted really lets his imagination run wild as he attempts to heighten his classmates' fire safety awareness. The day culminates when the class attends the annual science fair and, sure enough, there's now a need for Ted's expertise. When a demonstration goes awry and sets the principal's pants on fire, it's Ted to the rescue. Youngsters four to eight years of age will get plenty of giggles as they watch Ted's oh so helpful but misguided attempts to deal with potential fire hazards. He deserves an 'A' for effort even though most of his help is not appreciated by those around him. In this new series of picture books Ted's misadventures as both a doctor and firefighter have been chronicled. What's next? I have a feeling the cute little bear may venture into the world of art and painting in his next outing. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews